The Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway
| Name: | Olney, Illinois(elevation 471') - Telegraph: JR, D (B&OSW Tower), X (On PD&E) |
| Mile Post: | IC 178.9, DOOR 85.2 |
| Previous Station: | Johnathan |
| Next Station: | Calhoun |
| Description: | Olney was important as it was the terminus of the Olney to Sidell segment. After the PD&E took over the line in 1893, it pulled up the parallel DOOR line from West Liberty to Olney that ran just to the west of it. However the section of line in Olney was kept in place, and was sold off with the rest of the DOOR property in 1898. As of 2002, Olney still had it's PD&E depot, though it was in terrible shape - see the structures page. Apparently there was an effort to save it. However, a 2006 visit found no remains of the depot. Olney seems to have always been a major freight shipment point. |
| Photos: | Right of Way Structures Trains |
| Date Reached: | G&M: September, 1876 DOOR: by August 23rd, 1882. |
| Track Status: |
PD&E: Part of the line on the south side of Olney is still in place to serve a customer on the south side. DOOR: Removed to the North, by October, 25th 1893, with some in Olney remaining. DOOR: Remainder of track removed in April and May of 1919. |
| RR Facilities: |
Auto Platform (Ramp) (28' x 10') - (listed here in 1916!) Car Repairer's Shanty (20' x 12' x 8') - PD&E - built prior to 1900 - abandoned about 1906 Car Repairer Store House (35'6"' x 9') - IC - 4 old box cars nailed together - (listed here in 1916) Coal Shute (50-ton) - IC - (listed here in 1944) Depot (150' x 48') - DOOR Wood Depot (68' x 24') - built 1880 - PD&E - (listed here in 1916) Engine House (75' x 25') - DOOR Engine House and Shop (60' x 60') - built 1894 - (two stalls) - PD&E - (listed here in 1916, but not in 1928) Freight Checker's Office (35' x 28') - 40 year old house - IC - (listed here in 1916) Interlocking Tower (15' x 21') - 26 working levers (listed here in 1928 & 1944) Livestock Pens (150' x 70' ) - (Cattle) - DOOR (2) Livestock Pens - (listed here in 1928) Livestock Pen - IC - (listed here in 1928) Piggyback Ramp - IC Sand House (14' x 11' x 8') - PD&E - built prior to 1900 -wood frame with iron roof, abandoned about 1906 Scale Pit - foundation of which was discovered in 1916 - 36' long, 2' wide stone foundation, unknown width Section Supply House (28' x 8'6" x 7' ) - built from a car body - PD&E - (placed here in 1894 and replaced in 1914 with one of the same size) - (listed here in 1916) (2) Tool Houses (14' x 8'6" x 7') - half car bodies - PD&E - listed at Hand Car Houses - placed here in 1894 - removed 1914 (2) Tool Houses (14' x 8'6" x 7') - half car bodies - PD&E - listed as Hand Car Houses - placed here in 1914 replacing the ones from 1894 - (listed here in 1916) Tool House - IC - (listed here in 1928) 80-ton Track Scale - (listed here in 1916) Watch House (8' x 6') - (listed here in 1916) Water Column - IC - (listed here in 1944) Wood Water Tank (14' x 12' tub on 12' frame) - 12,012 gallon capacity - built 1896 Steel Water Tank - 100,000 gallon capacity - built 1915 - (listed here in 1944) Wye - DOOR Small Yard - IC |
| Customers: |
AM&F Co - later Roadmaster Corp - Just south of town Blue Flame Gas Company - IC - Just north of town Butler Street Mill - DOOR Cannery - DOOR CIPS Co - IC - Just north of town Consolidated Grain & Barge - grain Elevator - IC Elevator - DOOR Ice Plant - DOOR Tile and Brick Works(1862-1910) - DOOR Whiskey Bottle Plant - DOOR, until 1887 |
| Last Updated: | 01/28/2012 |